1. Field of the Invention
Battery holder for holding batteries having a central pole contact at one end thereof, said battery holder comprising a cylindrical socket having open ends and forming two spaces therein separated by an abutment midway of the socket, for holding each a battery with the central pole contact thereof positioned at one and the other, respectively, of the open ends of the socket.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,944 discloses a battery holder of this type wherein the socket is closed at one end by a cap, which insulates electrically the battery pole located at said one end the socket being open at the other end where the battery pole located at said other end is uncovered so as to be engaged with an electrical contact in the appliance wherein the batteries are to be used. One battery at a time is in an active position for use while the other battery is kept as a reserve or spare battery. When the battery in active position has run down, the cap is changed from one end of the socket to the other and the spare battery is placed in the active position.
In the prior art battery holder the batteries are loose in the socket. When the batteries have small dimensions they are easily lost when it is necessary to change from one battery to the other in the active position, particularly when the change takes place under severe conditions or in the field as when the batteries are used in a firearm sight, a camera, a leveling instrument, or a similar portable device.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a battery holder of the kind referred to which allows a battery in active position to be more easily, safely and rapidly replaced by the spare battery even under severe conditions by the two batteries being positively retained in the socket and being kept together as an easily handled unit which is not too small so as not require extreme care at handling thereof.